Viewable Sea Life: Popular Freshwater Aquarium Breeds

Keeping an aquarium is great for people with allergies. If you are highly allergic to fur, an aquarium would suit you. Watching the fish swim around and eat your feed is also a highly calming exercise; that’s why people who want a Zen-like experience cultivate koi fish in a backyard pond or a lawn pond.

In the US, a large part of the population keeps aquariums in their home. They are also experienced enough to look for fish breeds that are easy to keep in aquariums; these are not complicated, in terms of care. Here are some of those breeds.

Neon Tetra

size: small

An easily cultivated species, the Neon Tetra is good if you’re weaning your kids to care for pets—or if you’re a beginner yourself. The Tetras are usually brought as groups or schools. They are not an aggressive species, and they also have identifying colors in their orange and blue colorations. Waters that feel like tropic rivers are good environments for these fish

Guppy

size: small

Another fish that stands out as a candidate for beginners is the humble guppy. Unlike Tetras, they only need another guppy or two to make them feel at home. Guppies are better kept in small aquariums and their coloration differ from male to female; they’re one of nature’s ‘preeners,’ meaning males of the species are more colorful than females. They also need temperate waters to thrive.

Goldfish

size: Medium-small

The goldfish is another species that aquariums wouldn’t be complete without. If you’re thinking of housing this fish in a bowl, that’s the wrong way of going about things. However, a small aquarium is good enough for this fish, which can grow up to 14 inches if you keep them In the wild. Goldfish are one of the species to need a filtered fish-tank as well as a few weekly changes.

Angelfish

size: small leaf-like

It’s amazing that the angelfish, known for its leaf-like, arrowhead shape, is a cousin of the Oscars and Parrot fish. These can grow up to 6 inches and can also be striped, silvered, or just about any type of color. The water for these fish should feel slightly acidic and soft. They could also become aggressors of the habitat, so it’s good to keep your tank not too crowded when you have them.

Plecostomus

size: small-large

These fish are known as the ‘cleaners’ of a fish tank; they are actually cousins of catfish and feed on the forming algae in a tank through their mouths, which carry a sucker-like shape. While they are usually dependent on algae—mostly—they can also be fed frozen shrimp. You should keep your tank covered; these fish are known to jump out of the water.